Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
Penelope's life is scheduled down to the minutes. Even her summers. Her mom is an efficiency expert, and her dad follows the family schedule because it makes his life easier. Penelope feels quite alone in her wish for more free time, time to moodle, think and dream. But her mother's scheduling makes it impossible. Until... Continue Reading →
Peter has an unusual pet. He rescued Pax as a kit, and raised him into the fox he is today. But Peter’s father enlisted in the military to fight in the war, so Peter has to go live with Grandfather. Peter’s father insists Grandfather will not want a pet fox, and forces Peter to release... Continue Reading →
Jayson must do whatever it takes to get by after his mom dies and her boyfriend leaves. He plans to avoid the foster care system no matter what - and plans to keep playing basketball on his middle school team too. Jayson gets away with it too - until one day he’s discovered and is... Continue Reading →
Esther is determined to join her father in Cuba and work to get the rest of her family out of Poland. She is the oldest child, after all, even if she is a girl. Papa agrees, and Esther travels alone across Europe and the Atlantic to join him in Cuba. Her new home enchants Esther,... Continue Reading →
Joana has been walking for days. She’s gathered around her others fleeing the Russian troops advancing through the eastern lands of the Third Reich. There’s Eva, a giantess of a woman, Poet, who is a shoemaker and waxes poetical about shoes, boots and feet, and Ingrid, a blind girl Joana found lost at a train... Continue Reading →
Lina regrets missing the signs. She was not prepared, so Stalin’s men grabbed her from her apartment in her nightgown. Lina was one of millions of Lithuanians falsely charged with crimes and resettled to Sibera. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys tells her story, that of her family and that of those with whom... Continue Reading →
Ms. Rapscott runs a boarding school for daughters of the world’s busiest parents. They are so busy, they barely have time to box their girls up and send them to Ms. Rapscott. In fact, one set of parents forgot to close their box - which meant Dahlia never made it to school. If you think... Continue Reading →
Note: I wrote this review in 2015, and am just now publishing it. Joy abounds! The latest adventure in The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place is here! I have devoured the book. Now I am anxiously awaiting our family vacation so we can devour the audio book. As with the other books in the series,... Continue Reading →
Jack Baker has lost his mother and his home all at once. He also gained a father he's not seen since before World War II began. They don't know how to be together without Jack's mom. And now Jack is at a strange boarding school in Maine - a continent away from his home in... Continue Reading →
Sora Pak and her family live by a very strict set of rules. The family Bible is hidden under the floor. They must attend the local communist meetings. Their friends and neighbors keep disappearing. But they are afraid to leave their North Korean village. Until the war comes so close, they decide this is their... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 